The Acai Berry – Super Fruit Or Super Hype?
A few decades ago, the acai berry was little more than obscure fruit consumed in the rainforests of Brazil. But today, it is one of the most requested and expensive fruits on the market. How did acai achieve celebrity status allegedly overnight?
As you would expect, the introduction of acai berry to most USA citizens was on TV. In a 2007 episode of the Oprah Winfrey show, the legendary host extolled the benefits of the berry together with expert guests who claimed the fruit couldnot only help folk shed pounds, but also slow the process of aging.
The Acai Berry Today
An easy Google search on acai berries will yield hundreds and thousands of results and introduce you to countless products, all of which claim that acai is a brilliant, miracle food. Some people even posit that the tiny berry can cure cancer.
The berry itself is dark purple in color and looks a lot like a red grape, only a bit smaller. It is indigenous to the Amazon rain forest where ithas been consumed for centuries by local Brazilian clans. In fact, it is claimed that the acai berry is eaten with such frequency that it comprises over 40 percent of their total food intake. These clans also harvest the berry to sell them to local fruit firms.
Coming to America
right after the fruit appeared on the Oprah show, demand for the acai berry went through the proverbial roof. Supermarkets across the nation reported that they were inundated by requests for the tiny miracle berry.
With this fame, the market demand spawned many acai related products. Now, the hottest product is acai berry juice, which can be found in most supermarkets and health food outlets. Many products can also be purchased over the internet.
In the following couple of paragraphs, we shall attempt to separate the grain from the chaff, fact from fiction. We shall start by having a look at some of the most common claims of acai berry buyers.
The Claims
One of the commonest claims of sellers and clients alike is that acai can essentially rev up your constitution and cause your body to use up more calories. This has prompted the diet-crazed Yankee public to snap up the juice and suchlike products whenever and where ever theywould find them.
Itis also asserted the fruit helps cure sleeping afflictions like sleeplessness and can even work as an aphrodisiac and increase sexual want and performance. Many people also claim that it can improve mental clearness, very similar to Ginkgo Biloba.
What we do know
There’s no question that acai is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on the face of the earth. This is critical because antioxidants help the body fight off free radicals that may cause damage to the DNA and can also block arteries. However , in spite of reports by many eager users the wonder berry can actually reduce the process of aging, it has never been proved that serious amounts of antioxidants can reverse, stop or perhaps slow aging.
But we do know that antioxidants increase LDL, the good cholesterol, while reducing HDL, the bad cholesterol. And in lab tests, analysts have proved that the berry has ten times the antioxidants of grapes and double the antioxidants of blueberries.
The fruit is also said to be the ideal blend of antioxidants, essential fatty acids and amino acids. This has assisted in making it an instant success with athletes and other health-conscious individuals. Itis no wonder why pro South Yankee soccer players regularly break on acai berries before any big game.
But how can they taste? Many clients reply that the berry reminds them of an exotic mix of berries and chocolate. Maybe that it is why the fruit is used to flavor cocktails, make smoothies and as a topping for ice cream in its local Brazil.
The Hype Machine
like lots of things in a client society, folk tend to get carried away, particularly when dealing with an effective product. It is clear the acai berry is indeed one of the healthiest fruits in the world today, and it can offer users alot of amazing health benefits. But nothing we have seen has proven that it is indeed a miracle fruit, and claims that this tiny berry can reverse or halt the process of aging or maybe cure cancer is a little more than wishful thinking.
